New Calculator to try

[Opinionated]

A few months back I started a thread about a new calculator that was available. Since that post I have received a lot of good input and have made several updates and added new features. I encourage you to download and try out the latest version. All feedback is welcome.

Download links:
Juice Calculator

A summary of its features:
Define and save ingredients

• PG/VG percentage levels
• Nicotine level (pre-mix ingredients)
• Drops/ml and grams/ml
• Cost of ingredient
• Notes associated with ingredient

Define and save recipes

• Nicotine, PG and VG level
• Selection of defined ingredients to add
• Notes associated with the recipe
• See resulting amounts to add (drops, ML’s, grams) and total cost of the recipe

Modify an existing mix
Have you ever created a mix and would like to change the nicotine level, increase or decrease a flavor percentage, change the PG/VG ratio or add additional ingredients while maintaining the same ratios of your other ingredients? The “Modify recipe” option will do this. After making your changes you will be informed how much of each ingredient to add to bring your existing mixture to the new levels.

Build a recipe by entering ingredient amounts
Have you ever mixed something up by throwing together several ingredients and wanted to create a repeatable recipe by specifying the amount of each ingredient added? The “Build recipe” option will do this. Enter the amount of each ingredient added and then save the new recipe.

Includes a calculator to “Dilute nicotine” to a different mg/ml level and dilute to obtain a different PG/VG ratio.

Export your recipe(s) and ingredients to Excel.

Import your existing recipes from other popular calculators.

Search your existing recipes to find recipes that contain one or more of the ingredients specified.

Before you start using the calculator, make sure you setup your preferences on how the calculator operates by going to the “Options” window.

View attachment 262394

The one thing I would wish, if it were possible, would be to make a mobile version of the download which is kindle compatible.. a device like a kindle is small and easy to use and carry around with you while you are creating a recipe..

 

[jpasint]

Adding the default printer for labels is a great idea. I find it to be a pain to have to select my label printer every time I go to print a label since its not my default printer.

Since you got it working with your printer/label paper would you send me the "Paper type" definition that you are using with the formal name of the labels that you are using. I would like to add it to the calculator as a pre-defined label type. It can be troublesome to figure out all of the paper definitions for a label.

Here you go Rod. I figure someone else might be able to use the photos to help so I'm posting the settings here.

This is the label cartridge I am using-

Here are the Juice Calculator settings that seem to work well-

The 0.94 inch setting in this screenshot is the actual height of the label material.
The 2.10 inch setting is the length of the label chosen to allow the recipe name to fit the printable area with the selected font size, without chopping off some of the text.

The Brother print dialog-

Thank you again.

 

[HotRod19579]

Thank you. I am preparing a new version and I will include the paper settings.

 

[HotRod19579]

Version 7.0.1.9 is available.

All changes are related to label printing and include:

1. Added some additional print options for printing labels, Tools->Options, Print defaults tab, Advanced label printing defaults. You can specify the printer to print labels to, the paper type to use and the label definition to use.

2. Added a new button on the main recipe window called "Print label" which uses the values specified in the options and will print the label for the recipe that you are viewing without any additional prompts.

3. You can assign a hot key to the print label function using "Tools->Hot key options", Window=Recipe window, Function=Print label button using default values, and assigning a key to use as the hot key.

4. Added a check box on the "Print label advanced" window. When checked it will use the default printer defined in the options when printing the label.

5. Added a new paper type, Brother TZe-251.

 

[Tutor]

I use the Brother QL-700 series I normally just > right click the calculator > copy as plain text (basic recipe) > then place it into the P Touch software that came with the printer to make this:

Recipe was kindly provided by the mixer known as: "Middle Finger Salute"

What I came to this thread originally for was to say thanks for the option I had just noticed.. on the ingredient page besides just saying that the ingredient is used in 3 recipes, you now have the drop down displaying which recipes are in... very nice addition that I hadn't seen before... thank you!

 

[Rick Calhoun]

Great Program. One suggested item for the wish list.
The Adjust Inventory feature should be keyed to the "Last Made On" date. I have found my self inadvertently reducing inventory more than one on the same batch of a recipe.

Donation coming your way. keep up the great work.

 

[Tutor]

Doesn't seem as if "Generate custom report" is working properly, when selecting what you wish to generate, it asks you what you wish to open.

 

[HotRod19579]

Doesn't seem as if "Generate custom report" is working properly, when selecting what you wish to generate, it asks you what you wish to open.

The generate custom report requires a template of the report that you want to create. It also requires that you have MS-Word installed. To use this feature you will need some experience in using MS-Word.

I have provided 3 templates that you can use as examples. The templates are stored in the installation directory of the calculator. By default on a Windows 10 64-bit system the directory is "C:\Program Files (x86)\EJuiceCalculator. The template names are "AllIngredientsTemplate.docx", "AllRecipesTemplate.docx" and "RecipeTemplate.docx". The filenames correspond with the "File->Generate custom report" options. When you select one of the generate report options it will prompt you for a file to open. Choose the template that I referenced above which matches the generate report option that you selected.

The reporting feature uses "Word Merge" to generate the report. It looks for various merge field names and substitutes values from the calculator to replace those fields when generating the report. There is another document stored in the installation folder called "CustomReportNotes.txt" with some more information.

In Word it can be difficult to find the "Insert merge field" option. It is on the "Insert" ribbon bar. There is an icon (no label) called "Explore quick parts", click it and select "Field", scroll down to "MergeField" and select it. Give the merge field a name that matches one of the names referred to in the "CustomReportNotes.txt" document. The rest requires your Word skills to format the document.

CORRECTION: MS-Word is not required if you have an "Open Office" application that will open .DOCX OR DOTX files. The report generator will launch the DOCX/DOTX file after the report is generated so there must be an "Default program" associated with the extension.

 

[Tutor]

Seemed to work fine, with the exception of:
After making the generation of 10 pages, it made an additional 7 pages of "something" lol... not really sure where it got the information for this from... screenshot..

 

[Irish Eyes]

A little off the topic you are discussing, but I have a question about the notes. All was good until I did the last two updates, now all of my notes are gone. Any ideas as to why or where they might be?

BTW... I absolutely love your program. This is now the only juice calculator I use. I have excel spreadsheets that had all my juice info, but with your program putting it all in one place, it makes keeping track of everything so much easier for me. I love having the location as part of the program too! When I want to make a recipe, I don't have to look thru 7 boxes to find the flavors I need, you format tells me exactly where everything is. This program is a gem!

Nanc

 

[HotRod19579]

Seemed to work fine, with the exception of:
After making the generation of 10 pages, it made an additional 7 pages of "something" lol... not really sure where it got the information for this from... screenshot..
View attachment 591565

Let me investigate, I see the same thing happening.

 

[HotRod19579]

A little off the topic you are discussing, but I have a question about the notes. All was good until I did the last two updates, now all of my notes are gone. Any ideas as to why or where they might be?

BTW... I absolutely love your program. This is now the only juice calculator I use. I have excel spreadsheets that had all my juice info, but with your program putting it all in one place, it makes keeping track of everything so much easier for me. I love having the location as part of the program too! When I want to make a recipe, I don't have to look thru 7 boxes to find the flavors I need, you format tells me exactly where everything is. This program is a gem!

Nanc

Would you email me a copy of you juice file so that I can investigate? Do you have backups turned on and can you open one of your backups and see if the notes are present in them?

 

[Scouser]

You have reported a lot of items, none of which I can make happen nor have I heard of others having the issue.

There are a couple of things I would like to point out that may have created some of the scenarios you described.
1. The shopping list is maintained separately from the juice file. When an item is added to the shopping list a copy of the ingredient values are placed in the shopping list. If you then update the ingredient, the shopping list item will not reflect the change you made to the ingredient. This might explain manufacturer names, cost, ingredient names, etc...

Slight confused at what your saying here. The only way I add to the shopping list is via the "Add to shopping list" button on the main menu. When this comes up,it gives a list of ingredients to add with checkboxes. I presume these are ingredients in the current recipe, and each of those ingredients must have already been defined in the ingredients editor. At least that's how I use it. I create the flavour details in the editor, then add them to a recipe as required. If something is out-of-stock, I select/add it from the list in the shopping list. So based on this, there is no way that the juice manufacturer can get mixed up. One can only choose from what has been defined. So "Vanilla Custard V1" should be Capella and the "Vanilla Custard" should be TFA. That's how they are and where created in the ingredients editor. But if I select View->Shopping-list, the list shows them the wrong way round as you see in the pics in my prev post. So I am confused at what your saying.

Re Juice file and files in general. On the Mac, WineBottler wraps the .exe and all its associated files into a package .app file. Looking in the contents of this, it looks like the structure of of Windows system with a C drive etc. My database is called "Database.xml" but I cant see this anywhere in the structure. The pic shows the folder structure as I see it. Which file(s) are the juice files? Also which file(s) do you need me to send you?

Am I correct in thinking that all the files are wrapped up into a single .xml ?

 

[Scouser]

Would you email me a copy of your juice file and let me know which recipe is not showing. I would like to investigate and see what might be causing this.

Sure. but which file See above

 

[Scouser]

I classified my flavors in a few folders, Sweets, creams fruits, additives, florals and so on so the "add ingredient"drop down list was shorter but its not necessary. Acxtually I think I prefer one big list, its easier to work with. As for .NET version I think its 4.6, Win10 is up to date

Yeah. I think its the version of .NET you are using. If you read Rod's Readme file going back a few versions..."
Version 1.0.4.0
Changed the .NET framework requirement from 4.5 to 4.0. This allows the application to be installed on a Windows XP machine."
I tried with 4.5 and it did not work. But 4.0 did work. So maybe this is your problem.

 

[Fozzy71]

Sure. but which file See above

The juice file he wants is what you save when you click save or save as... from the file menu. Mine are stored on a separate drive in my dropbox folder so they don't get lost if my system drive were to die.

 

[Scouser]

You gave me a clue Fozzy. Thanks.
On the Mac, the file structure is complicated but I found the files thanks.

I looked at the .xml file for the shopping list and its weird. I see:

<ShoppingItem>
<Vendor />
<ItemName>Vanilla Custard V1 (The Flavor Apprentice)</ItemName>

and

<ShoppingItem>
<Vendor />
<ItemName>Vanilla Custard (Capella)</ItemName>

But I never created these flavours with these manufacturers like this so don't know how they got there. I created them the other way around. And the correct way (the way I created them) is proven by the fact that they are listed correctly in the "Current inventory" list.

 

[IDJoel]

But I never created these flavours with these manufacturers like this so don't know how they got there.

Hi Scouser,
Sorry for butting in here, but I went back and reread your posts since you reported your shopping cart problem, and the one thing I don't see you saying you tried was removing the two offending items from the shopping cart and then adding them back in again. Have you tried this? Perhaps even "removing" then exiting the program, re-open the program, and then re-enter the two ingredients.

Sorry, I'm not a Mac user, so I probably shouldn't be intruding. I just haven't seen any issues like this before.

 

[Scouser]

Hi Scouser,
Sorry for butting in here, but I went back and reread your posts since you reported your shopping cart problem, and the one thing I don't see you saying you tried was removing the two offending items from the shopping cart and then adding them back in again. Have you tried this? Perhaps even "removing" then exiting the program, re-open the program, and then re-enter the two ingredients.

Sorry, I'm not a Mac user, so I probably shouldn't be intruding. I just haven't seen any issues like this before.

Thanks for the input. I renamed the ShoppingList.xml to save it, then I restarted the app. The shopping list shows empty now. So I click "Add below threshold ingredients" and the list was updated correctly. But this still does not explain how the problem occurred. And that's what I was trying to highlight.

 

[IDJoel]

I restarted the app. The shopping list shows empty now. So I click "Add below threshold ingredients" and the list was updated correctly.

Glad all is as it should be.